Parking Strategies and Traffic Congestion

U.S. Parking Policies: An Overview of Management Strategies (86 page pdf, Institute for Transportation and Development Policy, February, 23 2010)

Also discussed here: Free Parking? Breaking Our Addiction to the Parking Lot (OpenAlex, Mar. 1, 2010)

And here: San Francisco’s quest for the perfect price for parking (The Operations Room, July 29, 2010)

Key Quotes:

“Free or very low cost on-street parking benefits only a few commuters. Employees and shopkeepers who arrive first in the morning occupy the most convenient spaces, forcing customers arriving later to waste time and money looking for an available space farther away. “

“A growing number of cities, such as New York City, are removing on-street parking to put in exclusive bus lanes, pedes­trian zones and bike lanes.”

“ensure that parking strategies are included as a crucial element in transportation plans for timely attainment of national ambient air quality standards, climate action plans, congestion management programs and livability initiatives. “

“Variable or peak-hour metering in which the price is set based on a curbside occupancy target of less than 85 percent is a logical and consistent way of managing a congested curb.”

“The physical space devoted to parking is enormous…office space typically requires 175 – 250 square feet per person; parking spaces require about 200 square feet per vehicle for curbside parking, and 300 – 350 square feet per car in garages “

“Auto ownership per 1,000 people doubled in the United States from 441 in 1960 to 820 in 2007. Autos are now used for 86 percent of trips.9 Ninety-nine percent of those trips begin and end in a free parking spot. “

“When it is understood that the parking supply helps induce more driving and demand for parking, it is easy to see that adding capacity increases conges­tion. “

“Parking policy exerts great influence on mode choice and urban design. In turn these affect air and water quality; development density; the ratio of active, tax ratable land uses to accessory land uses; and the quality of street-life or pedestrian environment. “

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